"Mo..mother, I'm so..sorry,I won't do it again." Six year old Ariana begged the matron with heavy tears flowing down her eyes.
Apparently, she didnt finish her lunch, she has always been a picky eater and carrots and tomatoes are something that she didn't like. But when you are living under the care of the Matron, you eat everything that she gives you and there's no two ways about that.
"I know you won't, which is why i have to make sure that you don't. Get inside now!"Mrs. Rose's angry voice bellowed at the girl, who tried moving away in fear of what she's going to do to her.
"I ..won't do it again." Ariana repeated, she looked at her back to see the other kids watching the scene with keen interest. Yet, none of them were able to speak up for her, because everyone was scared of getting on the bad side of the caregiver.
"Brandon, Get her!" Mrs. Rose said to the oldest that was with them and without wasting time, young Ariana was seized up and hauled into a dark cupboard.
She went on her knees to hold Mrs. Rose's legs. She was scared of being inside the cupboard, the kids all had their fair share of experience being inside here, but hers was way worse. Her mind seems to run wild anytime she's inside.
She feared the boogeyman and slender man would come get her while she's inside. As if that wasn't enough, nobody was allowed to come keep her company, it was just her locked inside the cupboard for days without food or water.
"I'm sorry, mother. Don't leave me inside the cupboard." She cried, but that seemed to piss the woman off before she yanked her up by her collar, pushed her inside and locked it from outside.
Ariana cried and pushed harder against the door when she was engulfed by darkness. She couldn't breathe, she had hoped that Mrs. Rose would change her mind and let her out, since she didn't lie about not finishing her food.
Soon , no voices are heard except hers that are filled with tears and hate for being here. Everyday was a torture at the orphanage, and it was more of a prison than an actual home to orphans like her.
"Let me out!!"
Ariana worked up with a gasp, she looked around the room and when she saw that she wasn't in the cupboard, she wasn't back at the orphanage. She let out a breath of relief.
It was those bad dreams again.
She sighed.
It's been consistent lately that Grace has suggested that she should go meet a therapist, but she was scared of someone judging her like she has lost her goddamn mind.
She wiped the sweat that covered her face as a result of her nightmare. But when she looked around the room, she noticed that she wasn't in the same room that she has always slept in.
It was different, it was more manly.
Moreover, she was wearing a shirt. Whose shirt is this?
She thought.
But that door opened at that moment to reveal a neatly dressed Alexander who looked like he's ready for work, carrying in a tray containing her breakfast. Can things not get any worse?
She didn't remember coming back home with him yesterday, nor did she remember doing anything in the last twenty four hours.
"You are awake?" Alexander said with a smile on his face, stopping in front of her to offer her tea. He wasn't a coffee somebody and he could recall that she too wasn't a coffee someone too.
When Ariana drank from the cup, a frown covered her face before she kept the cup down.
"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Alexander asked concerned.
"I would prefer coffee but thanks for the tea." She said, standing up for the bed. She felt his stare linger longer on her and when she turned around to look at him, she saw curiosity in his eyes, which made her wonder if she had done anything wrong until her mind clicked on her first mistake for the morning.
"You don't like coffee, babygirl." Alexander said, coming closer at her, which got Ariana in a panic mood. That's it!
He has caught onto her lies.
"How could you be so stupid, Ariana!"
She yelled at herself, while thinking of what to do to clear the misunderstanding, but Alexander didn't look like the type to fool.
It was at this point that she remembered his words at the hospital, and her having a panic attack. He loved Selina to the point that he's willing to do anything for her, which means that he's going to kill her just like Harry did to that guard?
She lied to him so her case was worse.
"I.." she tried speaking before he felt strong hands go round her waist that brought her closer to him.
"Is it because you are sick?" Alexander said, checking her temperature by placing his hand on her temple. "I think you need to see a doctor after what happened yesterday. We will talk about that once I'm back from work in the evening. But for now, all i want is some kiss from my woman to make my day feel better."
He says before bending to kiss her.
"Wait!" Ariana stopped him which earned her a raised brow and a confused look from him. "I..uh.. I have morning breath." She laughed nervously, looking for an excuse to escape this situation.
"Well, I don't mind. That hasn't stopped us before." He said, bringing her closer to him.
Well.. I do.. mind now." She laughed nervously, wiping the unseen dust on his blazer. The look on his face, her reading her, and if things continue this way between them, she won't last a week.
She can't kiss him.. not yet.
She's not ready.
Moreover, she isn't planning on having her first kiss with her morning breath, that's not how she had imagined things to be.
But she didn't like the way he was looking at her. He's sad over her refusal to kiss him?
"Fine, but you have to close your eyes." She said to him, and once again a big smile was right back on his face.
He's such a baby!
Who makes a fuss over a kiss?
That's Alexander Knights.
"No funny business, babygirl, I want a kiss on my lips." He said, pointing to his lips and puckered out his lips to her with his eyes closed.
"No funny business." She repeated, but had other ideas. Instead of his lips, she pecked his cheeks and dashed out of the room faster than Usain Bolt.
"That sly vixen.." Alexander said, but ended up laughing when he realized that he's been played by a shy Selina.
She hasn't always been like this, but who was he to complain, if anything she's cuter and funny which was something he crazed everyday for his complicated life.
The smile on his face got replaced by him groaning, and touching the side of his head at the sharp pain he felt in his head.
He nearly fell to the bed had it been that he wasn't closer to the table, so it held his weight while he cried out in pain.
Harry walked in right at that moment and when he saw what was happening, he rushed for his drawers immediately and got his drugs out for him to take.
After a good five minutes, the pain was gone but he was a totally different person who Harry was all familiar with. But for the sake of Alexander and his mental health, he didn't want to tell him the truth about what exactly was going on with him. He wasn't ready to tell him yet that something was wrong with him.
"Let's go." Alexander said coldly.
"Yes boss," Harry replied, taking his bag from the bed and following behind him. Once they were out of the room, Alexander paused for a bit and looked up at the stairs that were supposed to lead him up to Ariana's room.
Harry gulped nervously, he looked like he had seen a ghost, but luckily, Alexander looked away from the stairs and started to leave which made Harry let out a deep breath before he followed behind.
That was a close call!
Harry thought, while he held the door open for him, closed it after he was done and came around to sit besides the driver before they left the house.
This was the start of a new era!